Lolita

By: Vladimir Nabokov

Narrated by: Jeremy Irons

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The most famous and controversial novel from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century tells the story of Humbert Humbert’s obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze.

"The conjunction of a sense of humor with a sense of horror [results in] satire of a very special kind." —The New Yorker

Awe and exhilaration—along with heartbreak and mordant wit—abound in Lolita, which tells the story of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsession for the nymphet Dolores Haze. Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America.

Most of all, it is a meditation on love—love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation.

(P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

One of TIME Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels

"Lolita blazes with a perversity of a most original kind. For Mr. Nabokov has distilled from his shocking material hundred-proof intellectual farce…Lolita seems an assertion of the power of the comic spirit to wrest delight and truth from the most outlandish materials. It is one of the funniest serious novels I have ever read; and the vision of its abominable hero, who never deludes or excuses himself, brings into grotesque relief the cant, the vulgarity, and the hypocritical conventions that pervade the human comedy." —The Atlantic Monthly

"Intensely lyrical and wildly funny." —Time

"The only convincing love story of our century." —Vanity Fair

Jeremy Irons Voice made all the difference

What did you love best about Lolita?

I've never been able to get through this book until the audiobook. Jeremy Irons narration made it easy.

Have you listened to any of Jeremy Irons’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've heard his poetry readings before, and this was as good as those.

Irons makes this so worth listening to.

I highly suggest this novel. Definitely a taboo subject, but it is beautifully written and delivered.

well done

everything about this was great. Especially the narrator he really told the story well. . This isn't a review. Not sure why audible has to be 20 words to say a few good thing.

An absolute triumph!

I enjoyed reading this book some years ago, but listening to it gave me further pleasure. I've always loved Jeremy Irons voice and work, so when I saw it was available, I snatched it hurriedly! And boy, could I ask for a better delivery? No! Like mentioned above, an absolute triumph! Now I long for more works by the author. If they are half as eloquent as this work, I will adore them all!

My Favorite Book

If you could sum up Lolita in three words, what would they be?

This book is my absolute favorite due in no small part to Jeremy Irons's performance. This story is intelligently written and masterfully narrated.

What did you like best about this story?

Nabokov's technique is absolutely unmatched, In my opinion, this is the best work of fiction ever put to paper; or to tape.

Which character – as performed by Jeremy Irons – was your favorite?

Humbert Humbert is flawlessly brought to life by Jeremy Irons.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The story proper has the best intro that I have ever read.

Most beautiful pedophilic story ever.

I bought this only having heard the title and reading the publishers description, which in hindsight does amazing backflips to avoid mentioning its pedophilic rapist main character.

That being said, this is a beautifully written book. There's no question that any lesser writer would not have been able to get this type of story published or popularized quite like Nabokov. Jeremy irons did an amazing narration.

Blown away. First review I've written

This book was so perfectly performed and perfectly written. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Just be prepared for the sensation of a family of metallic spiders crawling up your spine and making their nest in the hairs of your head.

Excellent reading

The performance is stellar. Much better then my english professor reading extended passages. Seven more words remaining here is one

A True Masterpiece!

In my humble opinion, this is a true masterpiece. The imagery conjured up by the author in such an usual way is simply amazing. True, the content is uncomfortable at times, but the writing is so wonderful that you oftentimes forget the subject matter . The fact that this book is laugh out loud funny at times is astonishing for so many reasons. Lastly, I doubt that anyone could narrate this book better than Jeremy Irons.

Great journey to a disappointing ending.

This story takes you through the thoughts of a man who is truly obsessed with a young girl. From the seduction, through the minut control of Dolores, to the jealous fear, the reader is given an honest picture HH's destruction of Dolly's life. Jeremy Irons does a great job as HH and really sells the thought pattern of HH.